An Anniversary to Remember
by matahari2
Summary: Summary: * COMPLETE * Just in time for the Stetsons’ 15th wedding anniversary, a family member is in danger. This is a completely re-written version of the original story—hope you like it!
1. Morning at the Stetsons

An Anniversary to Remember  
  
by matahari2  
  
Summary: * COMPLETE * Just in time for the Stetsons' 15th wedding anniversary, a family member is in danger. This is a completely re-written version of the original story—hope you like it!  
  
Timeframe: February, 2002  
  
Disclaimer: These great characters are the property of Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions, they don't belong to me, nor will I get one dime for writing this story. The story, however, is mine. Please don't archive without my permission.  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Feedback: Please. Read and review.  
  
Author's Notes: This story is based on the assumption that Lee and Amanda's mystery marriage's cover was blown within six months, and that everyone knows about the secret wedding that took place on February 13, 1987. Please note: Author comments / asides to the reader are marked with three asterisks, before and after the comment. ( *** comment *** )  
  
Additional Author's Note: Many, many thanks Dix (the beta queen) and Elaine (black-belt encourager), who helped me so much in adding realism and emotional impact to this story.  
  
Yet another author's note (sorry!): There is one element of the story that calls for a suspension of disbelief on the reader's part. One observant reader commented on the involvement of the FBI, that knowing what the story reveals, they would have wrapped up the case very quickly. True enough, but why have a Scarecrow and Mrs. King story that doesn't involve Lee and Amanda in the chase? So, as my husband often bluffs, "let's not cloud the issue with facts!" Therefore, "other than that, Mrs. Lincoln...", I hope you enjoy this tale.  
  
  
  
Chapter One – Morning at the Stetsons'  
  
February 12, 2002  
  
Lee Stetson was in ecstasy. "Oh...Amanda! Mmm...oh, yeah...a little lower, ah... perfect."  
  
"Feels good, hmm?" Amanda asked, smiling down at her handsome husband.  
  
*** All right. Get your mind out of the gutter, would ya? It's not what you're thinking. ***  
  
"Yeah, much better. What would I do without you, Amanda?" Lee said, as he rolled over and sat up on the edge of the bed.  
  
As she stood, fluffing his pillow and putting it back in place by the headboard, Amanda chuckled and replied, "Well...I guess you'd still have a pretty sore back, wouldn't you? What were you thinking, anyway, sliding into second base like that? You're lucky you didn't break something."  
  
"I know, I know." He tilted his head slightly, held up his hand and continued, "And no, you don't have to remind me, I'm fifty-one years" he hesitated, a wry smile on his face, ". . .old. I guess I'd just rather be 'out there' playing the game than sitting on the sidelines," Lee answered as he pulled on his dark blue tee shirt and padded across their bedroom toward the window.  
  
"I understand, Sweetheart, really," she said, crossing the room to stand beside him, smiling into his hazel eyes and brushing back a lock of his silvering light brown hair. "Somehow I get the feeling you're talking about more than a softball game with the kids."  
  
"Yeah. . .I suppose I am. I mean, I was sure it was the right thing to do, coming out of the field when we did, when Jenny was born. I'm still sure it's right, for our family's sake. . ." Lee started.  
  
"But. . ." Amanda continued for him.  
  
"I just get a little bored sometimes, sitting in the office," Lee finished, looking out the window into the distance.  
  
"I know, Lee, but what you're doing is valuable work. As the Field Section Chief, you're responsible for all the agents working out of DC, and with all your field experience, you're a great mentor to many of them," she said, reaching around to stroke his back gently. "I'm really proud of you for that."  
  
"Thanks, Amanda," he said with a small smile, turning to face her. "That's the rewarding part of the job. It's all the 'adminis-trivia' and politics that gets the best of me sometimes."  
  
"Yeah, I guess 'kissing up' was never your strong suit, right?" Amanda said with a slight twinkle in her eyes. She gazed down as she lightly dusted her hands across his chest to his shoulders. Then with a quick glance at her watch, she continued, "Well, we're not going to solve this problem in the next 30 minutes, are we? Why don't you go ahead and take your shower, and I'll get Jenny up and start the coffee."  
  
"Okay. . .I'll be down in a little while. Have I told you lately. . ." he began, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. "I love you, Mrs. Stetson" he said, giving her a quick kiss on the lips.  
  
"Love you too, Sweetheart," she said, slipping out of his embrace and giving his hand a little squeeze before heading out of their room.  
  
"Jenny!" Amanda called to their sandy-haired twelve-year-old daughter. "Time to get up, Honey! "  
  
Jenny stretched her arms out over her head, but her eyes were shut tight as she said, "Awww, Mom!"  
  
'She is her father's daughter, definitely not a morning person!', Amanda mused. She gave Jenny's bed a little shake, saying, "Come on, young lady, it's 6:45 already, and you have to be at school by 7:30 today... for your field trip, remember?"  
  
The young girl opened her hazel and gave in. "Oh...okay," she said, shuffling into her robe and slippers, and walking, zombie-like, to the hall bath.  
  
Amanda went downstairs and set about making Jenny's lunch and starting the coffee. As she put out glasses of orange juice and bowls of cereal for Jenny and herself, Amanda smiled, reflecting on her husband's breakfast habits. After all these years, he still didn't often have more than coffee, unless there happened to be some day-old doughnuts or Danish lying around. Amanda was still determined to teach their daughter that it was important to have a good breakfast--'the most important meal of the day'. Goodness knows she'd heard that enough from her own mother.  
  
"Okay, your turn, Amanda," Lee said, reaching around her to open the cabinet and pull out his travel mug and fill it with coffee. "Jenny's still up in her room, but she ought to be down in a minute. Do you need me to take her today?"  
  
"No, I can handle it," Amanda replied. "I have that new class of recruits starting at Station One today, but the opening session doesn't start until 9:30, so I'll have time to get Jenny to school and get over there in plenty of time."  
  
"All right," Lee said, smiling to himself as he poured the cream into his coffee.  
  
Amanda had caught his smile as she'd put her own mug on the counter. She smiled in his direction and asked, "What are you so happy about?"  
  
"Oh...", he grinned, "I'm just enjoying our 'normal' life. I really want to thank you for that."  
  
"Well, you'll get your chance tomorrow night, won't you?"  
  
He made a show of flipping his day planner open, saying, "Tomorrow? Hmm, let's see...oh yeah, it looks like I've 'penciled you in' here...some kind of anniversary party..."  
  
As Amanda grabbed the planner out of his hand and slapped his arm with it, she shouted in mock indignation, "Well! You'd better remember, and you'd better be there, too, or Mother will definitely kill you! She and the kids have been planning our 15th anniversary celebration for weeks!" She dropped the day planner and folded her arms, saying," 'Pencilied me in!' Cute, Scarecrow!"  
  
"So you still think I'm cute?" he said, giving her his best dimpled grin.  
  
She placed her index finger on her lips and looked up toward the ceiling, as if to say, 'I'm thinking, I'm thinking', but she couldn't hold that pose for long. She couldn't stop the chuckle that was threatening to burst out in laughter.  
  
Lee chuckled a little himself as he picked up the planner and mug. "Well, I'll see you later. Love you!" he said, kissing her on the cheek and hurrying out the back door to start his one-hour commute from Middleburg, Virginia to DC. He hadn't even heard his daughter's "Bye, Daddy!" since he was already out the door when she reached the bottom of the stairs and came into the kitchen.  
  
Jenny dutifully ate her breakfast, while Amanda showered and dressed for work. Fifteen minutes later, they were on their way to the Nathan Hale Middle School.  
  
"So you're going to the National Archives today, right?" Amanda asked.  
  
"Yeah, Mom," Jenny answered. "See, our social studies class just finished a unit on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and our teacher wanted to give us a chance to see the real things."  
  
"That'll be great, Jenny. It's a good thing we live close enough to do things like this, isn't it?" Amanda commented. As she pulled up in front of the school, she placed a hand on Jenny's arm and said, "Now. . .you have your math homework, and your lunch, and. . ." Amanda started.  
  
Jenny broke in, "Yes, Mother, it's all right here in my bag. Mrs. Jamieson said we oughta be back between 4:30 and 5:00."  
  
"All right. Grandma will be here to pick you up."  
  
"Okay, Mom. Love you," Jenny said, stepping down out of the Explorer.  
  
"Love you, Jen. . ." Amanda trailed off, realizing that her daughter was already halfway up the sidewalk to the school. 'They grow up so fast,' she thought, as she pulled out and drove to the Agency's training camp.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	2. Field Trip

An Anniversary to Remember  
  
by matahari2  
  
Summary: Just in time for the Stetsons' 15th wedding anniversary, a family member is in danger.  
  
Timeframe: February, 2002  
  
Disclaimer/Notes: See Chapter 1  
  
  
  
Chapter Two – Field Trip  
  
February 12, 2002  
  
Mrs. Jamieson's seventh grade social studies class and three parent- chaperones milled about the rotunda of the National Archives building. Small groups were clustered around the pedestal displays of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. It was all well and good to see all of these documents, up close and personal, but for her part, Jenny Stetson thought the eighteenth-century handwriting was hilarious.  
  
"What do they mean, 'Congrefs'?" Jenny said, giggling to her friend. "And look at this one, 'necefsary'. Some of these words look really goofy, huh?"  
  
"Yeah. Hey, Jenny, look down here at the bottom, that one guy's signature looks like that insurance company logo, doesn't it?" Kerry Carter asked.  
  
"Well, duh, Kerry, I think it's the other way around," Jenny kidded. "I wonder how much else there is to see here. This room is getting kinda 'been there, done that'. Isn't it getting close to lunch time?"  
  
"Well, it's just about 11:30. Let's check with Mrs. J and find out," Kerry said.  
  
Mrs. Jamieson informed the girls that yes, they did plan to break for lunch soon; they'd congregate outside the building and have the sack lunches they'd all brought, after the students had a chance to go to the restroom if necessary.  
  
They went in and out in small groups, with chaperones waiting for them outside the entrances to each restroom. When Jenny was the last person left in the ladies' room, there was a disturbance out in the hallway. Jimmy Henderson was having an epileptic seizure, and Mrs. Carpenter, who'd been watching at the door to the ladies' room, was doing her best to take care of him, while Mrs. Jamieson tried to contact his parents by phone.  
  
Just before she'd gone into the ladies' room, Jenny had noticed a tall, well-dressed woman at the opposite end of the hallway. The woman seemed to be watching the small group of girls leaving the restroom as Jenny went in. As she washed her hands, Jenny could see the woman strolling into the ladies' room. She caught Jenny's eyes in the mirror, and smiled. As Jenny dried her hands with a paper towel, she saw the woman turn away as if to leave. Jenny scarcely noticed the strange woman reach into the side-pocket of her purse. She gasped in shock as the woman placed what looked like a thick handkerchief squarely over her nose and mouth, and held it tight to her face. Jenny struggled briefly, until her limp body started to fall. Just then, at the sound of a commotion outside the ladies' room door, the woman rushed to hide Jenny, taking refuge in one of the stalls.  
  
"Jennifer? Jenny? Are you in here?" Mrs. Jamieson called, as she hurried into the ladies' room. As she passed each stall, she looked under the door. She could see a woman's feet under one door, but no one Jenny's size appeared to be there.  
  
The teacher knocked on the door and asked, "Excuse me, ma'am, have you seen a twelve-year old girl, sandy hair, wearing a school uniform?"  
  
"No, I'm afraid not," the woman answered from behind the door. "Sorry."  
  
"No, no, that's all right. Thank you," Mrs. Jamieson said, as she scanned the room once more. Then she saw it...Jenny's bag...underneath one of the sinks. "Oh my God," she whispered, running out into the hallway.  
  
Mrs. Jamieson caught the attention of one of the building's guards. He contacted his superiors, and they began a thorough search of the building. Carol Jamieson wasn't looking forward to the next phone call she'd have to make. Jenny's permission slip had indicated that her mother would be out of the office today, and that in case of emergency, the teacher should contact her father.  
  
********  
  
As Lee Stetson entered the bullpen to go back to his office, the receptionist stopped him. "Thank goodness you're here, Mr. Stetson," the young blonde woman said. "There's an urgent call for you, from Mrs. Jamieson of Nathan Hale Middle School, on line 5."  
  
"I've got it. Thanks," he called back, over his shoulder. He grabbed the receiver and punched line 5. "This is Lee Stetson...Mrs. Jamieson, yes. What is it?" he asked, as he paced back and forth behind his desk. "Is Jenny sick? Is she injured?" Her answer stopped him in his tracks. "...Missing? Are you sure? Have they searched everywhere in and around the building?" Lee questioned. He drummed his fingers against his leg as he listened impatiently to the distraught teacher. "...No, no, I'm sure you're doing everything you can...yes, yes, I can get in touch with her mother, and then I'll be right over there. Thanks. Goodbye, Mrs. Jamieson."  
  
Lee raked a trembling hand through his hair and dialed the number for Station One.  
  
As it happened, Amanda was already in the office. "Amanda Stetson," she answered.  
  
"Amanda...it's me," he started nervously, "something's happened to Jenny. She's...she's missing."  
  
"Oh my God! Where is she? Where were they when they discovered she was missing?" Amanda asked.  
  
"You're going straight over there, right?" Amanda asked, her voice shaking, after Lee had related all that he'd learned about Jenny's disappearance.  
  
"Yeah," Lee replied. "Meet me over there as soon as you can, okay? I'll see what I can find out in the meantime." She didn't respond right away, and her silence worried him. "It'll be all right, Amanda. We'll find her." 'God! I hope we will!' he thought.  
  
"I hope so, Lee", she said, far too quietly. "I'll be there as soon as I can. I love you," Amanda said, abruptly ending the call.  
  
  
  
********  
  
After she had talked with Jenny's father, Mrs. Jamieson had called the Principal's office at Nathan Hale Middle School to let them know what had happened, at least as much as she knew. The Principal's administrative assistant thanked her for calling the school, and then put her on hold for a moment while she checked Jenny's records. "Mrs. Jamieson," she said, "there is a flag beside Jenny's name, and notes indicating that if anything should happen to her, there could be national security issues involved. The local police and the Agency are to be notified immediately. We'll take care of that for you. You just take good care of the rest of those children."  
  
  
  
********  
  
After the frantic teacher had left the ladies' room, the tall, dark-haired woman had gone to work, changing Jenny's clothes to blue jeans and a white, hooded sweatshirt, and stuffing her sandy brown hair up under the dark auburn wig she'd brought along. She'd folded Jenny's clothes and hid them at the bottom of a shopping bag she'd had in her large purse. Jenny's coat was too big not to draw suspicion, so the woman took the lid off of the large trash can, lifted out some of the trash and stuffed the coat in, covering it over with the trash.  
  
Jenny was starting to wake up. 'Who is this strange woman, and why did she change my clothes? And what's up with this wig?' Jenny thought to herself, sitting up on the floor and rubbing her eyes.  
  
"Ah, I see you're awake, Ms. Stetson," the woman said with icy calm. She grabbed hold of Jenny's hand and said, in a voice full of menace, "All right. You're coming with me. We're going to take a little trip. Be quiet about it, or you'll regret it. Trust me."  
  
At that, Jenny's eyes widened in understanding. 'Okay, if you wanted to scare me, it's working,' Jenny thought.  
  
As they crossed the crowded rotunda, Jenny noticed that her school group had left the building. She saw the school bus full of students parked at the curb. Mrs. Jamieson was standing beside the bus. Jenny looked over in her direction but didn't take the chance of waving or calling out to her, as the strange woman had clasped her hand and was practically yanking her down the steps and across the sidewalk.  
  
They had just crossed the street behind the school bus when Lee Stetson rushed up to meet Mrs. Jamieson. He'd taken no notice of the tall woman with the auburn-haired girl. But Kerry Carter had seen them coming down the steps outside the building. She couldn't be sure it was Jenny, but the face and body shape sure looked like her. Kerry hurried to the front of the bus, and saw Mrs. Jamieson talking with Jenny's Dad.  
  
"Mr. Stetson?" Kerry tried to interrupt. "I'm Jenny's friend Kerry, Kerry Carter. I just saw someone who looked a lot like Jenny, crossing the street behind the bus, with a tall lady who had short, dark hair. Looked like the lady was in a hurry."  
  
"Just now?" Lee asked, taking Kerry's hand and running toward the back of the bus. "Do you see her over there anywhere?"  
  
"No. Not any more. Sorry, Mr. Stetson," Kerry said, downcast.  
  
"Oh, no, that's all right. You did real good, Kerry, thank you," Lee said reassuringly.  
  
"There was a cab. It's not there now, either," Kerry volunteered, worrying about her friend and wanting to help any way she could.  
  
"Thanks again, Kerry! What color was the cab, do you remember?" Lee asked.  
  
"Yes," Kerry replied. "It was a school-bus yellow, with 'DC Cab Company' painted on the trunk. Oh...and Mr. Stetson?"  
  
"Yes, Kerry?"  
  
"Jenny doesn't look like herself. I guess the lady changed her clothes and put a wig on her or something," Kerry stated.  
  
Lee took a little pad and pen out of his coat pocket, and took down all that Kerry and Mrs. Jamieson had told him. The teacher informed him she had talked with the police when they'd arrived, minutes before. Lee thanked both of them for their help, and told them they might as well head back to the school.  
  
The bus was just leaving when Amanda arrived, hurrying into her husband's open arms. "Oh, Lee! What are we going to do?" she cried, the tears she'd held back until now threatening to fall.  
  
Lee held her closely, stroking her back in an attempt to soothe her. "I don't know yet, Amanda, but Jenny's friend Kerry was able to give me some helpful information," he said. "Let's check in with the police, and I'll fill them in on what I've learned. Hopefully, it will help us find Jenny." He kissed her forehead gently and released her from his embrace. Then he took her hand in his, and they climbed the steps to enter the building.  
  
Lieutenant Morrison and a team of forensic investigators had cordoned off the ladies' room and were searching for clues and dusting every surface for fingerprints.  
  
Lee and Amanda approached the yellow crime scene tape, and Lee flashed his Agency badge to the Lieutenant, who was just coming out of the ladies' room.  
  
"Stetson? Are you the girl's parents?"  
  
"Yes," Lee replied. "Lieutenant...Morrison?" he said, shaking the man's hand. "This is my wife Amanda, Jenny's mother."  
  
"I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Stetson," Lieutenant Morrison said sincerely, shaking Amanda's hand. "We don't have a lot for you just yet. The guys in there are dusting for prints, but it'll take awhile before we get them back to the lab and check for matches."  
  
"We understand," Lee said. "Lieutenant, I may have some information that will help. I just talked with a friend of Jenny's, Kerry Carter, and she noticed some things after she and the rest of the kids got back on the bus..."  
  
Lee filled the Lieutenant in on all that Kerry had told him, and Lieutenant Morrison thanked him profusely. "That Kerry's one pretty sharp little girl. Of course, we'll want to talk with her as well, but we'll follow up on all of this, ASAP. In the meantime, the two of you might as well head home, until we have more to go on."  
  
Just as Lee and Amanda thanked Lieutenant Morrison and Lee handed him his card, with both their home phone number and a direct number for Lee at the Agency, Officer Morton brought them Jenny's coat and her bag, with her lunch still in it. Amanda clutched the items to her chest, and Lee wrapped an arm around her waist as they crossed the rotunda and headed for his car.  
  
"Amanda, why don't we drive back to the Agency together?" Lee offered. "I'll have someone come over and pick up the Explorer later, okay?"  
  
"Yeah, okay," Amanda said tearfully. She was grateful for his offer. She didn't want to be alone right now, and she certainly couldn't stand the idea of going home and just waiting for answers. At least at the Agency, if the Lieutenant got in touch with them, they might be able to follow up on some of the leads themselves, do something that would help them find their baby girl.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	3. A Little Trip

An Anniversary to Remember  
  
by matahari2  
  
Summary: Just in time for the Stetsons' 15th wedding anniversary, a family member is in danger.  
  
Timeframe: February, 2002  
  
Disclaimer/ Notes: See Chapter 1  
  
  
  
Chapter Three – A Little Trip  
  
Afternoon, February 12, 2002  
  
After their plane touched down, Jenny Stetson and her kidnapper took a MetroLink train to a renovated historic area. Jenny noticed a sign marked "Laclede's Landing". The two of them walked several blocks on cobblestone streets that led them to the Harrington Suites hotel. The woman signed the registration slip at the front desk, and the clerk handed her the key-card for their one-bedroom suite on the 8th floor. Jenny looked back over her shoulder as she felt herself being tugged toward the bank of elevators. She saw the desk clerk frown for a moment and shake her head. 'I guess she thinks it's a little strange...a lady and a kid registering at a hotel with no luggage. Come to think of it, so do I!'  
  
Immediately upon entering the suite, Jenny said, "Ma'am, is it okay if I go to the bathroom?"'  
  
"Sure," the woman replied, "but make it quick. Then you're moving into the bedroom."  
  
She walked through the small suite to the bedroom, and turned down the bedspread on one of the two double beds. She took special care to disconnect the phone jack, so Jenny couldn't call out. Then she lit up a cigarette and waited for the girl to come out of the bathroom.  
  
Jenny hurried into the bathroom and locked the door behind her. After flushing the toilet, she turned on the water in the sink, full blast. Jenny was in luck. She had spotted the wall phone hanging beside the vanity. She knew better than to talk into the phone, because the woman in the other room might hear her. But she could call her Mom's pager number, and punch in the phone number of the hotel. It wasn't much, but it would at least give her parents a hint as to her whereabouts. She'd just finished her silent call and turned off the water when she heard the woman knocking.  
  
"Come on, kid, hurry up!" she yelled, just as Jenny opened the bathroom door. She grabbed Jenny by the arm and shoved her toward the turned-down bed. The pulled two lengths of rope out of her large shoulder bag, and tied the girl's hands and feet. "All right I've got some things to do, and you're going to stay put and stay quiet. Hear me?", she said, pushing her down onto the bed and leaving no doubt that there would be hell to pay if Jenny didn't cooperate and do as she was told.  
  
"Yes ma'am," Jenny answered in a little voice.  
  
At that, the woman turned and left the bedroom, closing the door and shoving the small love seat up against it. Then she exited the suite and took the elevator to the hotel lobby. She went outside and hailed a taxi.  
  
Lee and Amanda were sitting in his office at the Agency when the call came through from Lieutenant Morrison.  
  
"Stetson here," Lee answered. "Oh, yes, Lieutenant Morrison...what do you know so far?"  
  
Lieutenant Morrison gave him the good news first. "Well, one good thing...we got a full thumb print from the top of the trash can. It belongs to a Rita Holden. Evidently, she just finished serving a fifteen year term in Leavenworth."  
  
""That name sounds familiar," Lee said, scribbling 'Rita Holden?' on his notepad and turning it so Amanda could see the name.  
  
"Listen, Lieutenant, if you don't mind, I'm going to put you on speaker. My wife is here with me. She'll want to hear this, too." He punched the 'speaker' button and placed the receiver back in the cradle.  
  
"I'm afraid there's not much more news right now," Lieutenant Morrison stated. "We're still checking with the DC Cab Company about fares picked up between 12:00 and 1:00 p.m. today across from the National Archives. Hopefully we'll have something soon, and I'll call you with whatever we find out."  
  
"Thank you, Lieutenant, we'll wait to..." Lee started.  
  
"Wait!!" Amanda interrupted. "My pager's vibrating. The telephone number is ...area code 314...555-2356. Area code 314...it's in the midwest somewhere, isn't it? It's not Chicago, that's 312, I think."  
  
Lee said, "Yeah, that's right. St. Louis or Kansas City, maybe? Why don't we call the number and find out? Lieutenant Morrison? I'm going to put you on hold for a minute, okay?"  
  
Lee dialed the number, and a businesslike, friendly voice answered, "Harrington Suites – Laclede's Landing...how may I help you?"  
  
"If you don't mind my asking, what's your location?" Lee inquired.  
  
"Well, sir, we're on First Street, on the North end of Laclede's Landing, right by the river..."  
  
"No, no, no, you don't understand...what city are you in?"  
  
"St. Louis, Missouri, sir. We're just a few blocks north of the Gateway Arch grounds," the helpful desk clerk offered.  
  
"St. Louis, of course. Thank you, Ms..."  
  
"Jenkins, sir, Julie Jenkins."  
  
"Thank you, Ms. Jenkins. Do you have any suites available for tonight, possibly?"  
  
"Yes, sir, we do have a few vacancies, would a suite with one king size bed work for you?"  
  
Lee told the clerk that, yes, that type of suite would be fine, and he made a reservation for guaranteed late arrival that night. He picked up the other phone line where Lieutenant Morrison had been waiting and said, "Lieutenant Morrison? Sorry to keep you waiting. That phone number is for a hotel, the Harrington Suites, on the St. Louis riverfront."  
  
"Good, thank you, Mr. Stetson," Lieutenant Morrison said. "While you were on the other line, we got word that DC cab number A0169 picked up a dark- haired woman and a young girl in jeans and a hooded sweatshirt from the stand across from the National Archives at 12:15 p.m., headed for Dulles Airport. Our guys also checked the flights leaving between 1:00 and 2:00 p.m., and one of the flights on that list was American flight 595 to St. Louis. At this point, we're not only dealing with kidnapping, but interstate flight. We're going to have to bring the FBI in on this."  
  
"We understand, Lieutenant, but please make sure to keep the Agency in the loop. You can call Francine Desmond at this number, or you can reach me by cell phone. Here's the number..." Lee said, giving him the number and telling him they were on their way to St. Louis.  
  
Amanda took care of getting their airline tickets booked, glad that she could finally do something to help. They wouldn't have time to go home and pack for the trip. They barely had time to call Dotty and explain where they were going, and why.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	4. So Near and Yet So Far

An Anniversary to Remember  
  
by matahari2  
  
Summary: Just in time for the Stetsons' 15th wedding anniversary, a family member is in danger.  
  
Timeframe: February, 2002  
  
Disclaimer/ Notes: See Chapter 1  
  
  
  
Chapter Four – So Near and Yet So Far  
  
Evening, February 12, 2002  
  
Amanda could see the flashing beacon atop the 630-foot high stainless steel Gateway Arch, as well as a few authentic sternwheelers and a large, gaudy gaming boat on the river. Taking hold of her husband's hand, Amanda said, "Lee! We're almost there. I can see the Arch, and the boats along the riverfront." Shifting in her seat to face him, she continued, "Jenny's got to be right here. We've got to find her, Lee!"  
  
"I know, and we will, Amanda," Lee stated, as though he was sure of it. As he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, he looked into her eyes, saying, "Hey, you know something? We have an ace in the hole...we have one very smart, sensible daughter. She's a lot like her mother."  
  
With a trace of a smile, Amanda replied, "You're right about Jenny. I know she's a smart girl...she did think to call my pager number, after all. I wonder how she managed it," Amanda thought aloud, her gaze drifting down to their joined hands.  
  
"I don't know," Lee said, gripping her hand tightly, "but I'm sure glad she did."  
  
Minutes later, Lee and Amanda were driving east on Interstate 70, toward the city. Within half an hour, they had arrived at the Harrington Suites.  
  
Julie Jenkins was still on duty at the registration desk. Lee flashed his badge and introduced himself as a federal agent, and asked the young woman, "Did you have any guests that registered today under the name 'Holden'?"  
  
Julie looked through the day's registration slips and checked the computer log as well. "I'm sorry, sir, but no one registered under that name."  
  
"Do you recall a middle-aged woman with a 12 year old girl registering sometime between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m.?" Lee asked.  
  
"No sir, I don't remember anyone like that, but then I wasn't here for that full hour. You see, sir, my shift starts at 3:00, but I didn't come in until 3:30 today. I had a dentist's appointment. One of the other desk clerks, Jane Watkins, stayed over to cover for me. She might have seen them, but she won't be here again until tomorrow morning. I'm sorry, sir."  
  
"No, no. There's no need to apologize," Lee said. "I suppose we might as well go ahead and register."  
  
"Please sign right here, Mr. Stetson," Julie said, indicating the signature line on the registration card. "Here's your room key. Your suite is on the 7th floor, and the elevators are just across the lobby, on the left. We hope you enjoy your stay."  
  
'If she only knew', Lee thought, as they crossed the lobby and pushed the button for the elevator.  
  
  
  
********  
  
Rita Holden had been busy since leaving Jenny in the hotel suite. She'd taken a cab to a large, enclosed shopping mall just a few blocks south and west of the hotel. She'd bought a few changes of clothes for herself and Jenny, along with toothbrushes and other personal necessities. She'd stopped at a luggage shop and purchased two medium-sized wheeled suitcases, then transferred the rest of her purchases into them for the trip back to the hotel.  
  
When she saw that the hotel desk clerk was observing her bringing in the luggage, Rita shrugged her shoulders, and called out, "Airlines! Oh well, they finally found these!"  
  
As Rita rolled her suitcases through the hotel lobby, she noticed the handsome, middle-aged couple entering one of the elevators. 'Damn!' she thought. 'How'd they find us?'  
  
Five minutes later, back in suite # 805, she knew the answer to that question. She moved the love seat back to its original position, opened the bedroom door, and turned left, into the bathroom. Then she saw it...a telephone.  
  
"Jen-ni-fer!" Rita yelled. "We're getting out of here, first thing in the morning, and no more phone calls for you!" She'd made sure of that, having disconnected the bathroom phone.  
  
Jenny was quiet. What was there to say? She would just have to wait for the right moment to try and contact her parents again, to get them a message somehow.  
  
Rita set the bedside radio-alarm clock for 6:00 a.m., and turned out the lights in the bedroom. She went out to the small living room to place a phone call of her own.  
  
  
  
********  
  
Downstairs in suite # 705, Lee and Amanda were deciding to call it a night, having had no word from the DC metro police or the FBI on the progress of the investigation.  
  
"Lee, I feel terrible, knowing we're this close to Jenny, but we don't know how to find her," Amanda said, her fear and frustration evident as she paced the length of the bedroom.  
  
"I do too, Amanda. I just don't know what else we can do right now," Lee said sympathetically, stopping her mid-stride and taking both of her hands in his. "I know we're close to where Jenny is, but until we know more...we'd just be spinning our wheels, right?"  
  
"Yeah...I know...you're right. Now I know the meaning of that expression, 'so near and yet so far'," Amanda said, downcast.  
  
Lee wrapped his strong arms around her, rested his cheek against hers and whispered, "I know exactly what you mean, Sweetheart." He pulled back a little, looking into her glistening eyes. He did his best to offer her a little hope, saying, "Tell you what. First thing in the morning, we'll see what we can find out from the day-shift desk clerk. Maybe she saw or heard something that'll help us."  
  
"Okay, yeah, let's do that," Amanda replied, her eyes brightening a little. "You still know how to find the silver lining...that's one of the many things I love about you, Mr. Stetson," she said, giving him a soft kiss on the lips. "Well, I guess we'd better try and get a little rest. I'll go ahead and take my shower tonight, and you can have all the hot water in the morning, all right?"  
  
"All right," Lee answered, stroking her back as she turned away. He turned down the bedspread on their king-size bed, while Amanda went into the bathroom. She removed her pager from the waistband of her slacks, and undressed to take her shower. Within twenty minutes, Amanda lay nestled into Lee's embrace, their hands clasped tightly across his chest. Now and again through the night, Lee could hear her quiet sniffling, and could feel her warm tears as they dampened his skin. One time when he felt her shaking, he held her even closer to his side, trying to comfort her, even as his eyes filled with tears of their own.  
  
  
  
********  
  
Jenny sat up in bed and strained to hear the one-sided phone conversation from the suite's living room.  
  
"Charlie Logan?" Jenny heard the woman ask. There was a slight pause before the woman's voice started again, "Well, Mr. Logan...Charlie, this is Rita Holden. I'm a friend of Melanie's. She told me if I was ever in St. Louis, that I should be sure and look you up. She mentioned that you might be able to help me locate any supplies I might need, the kind of supplies I couldn't exactly take aboard an airplane, if you know what I mean."  
  
'What's she talking about? Something you can't take on an airplane...like a gun or something?' Jenny wondered as she heard the woman speak again.  
  
"All right, 10:00 it is, lower entrance to the Muny. I'll be coming from Laclede's Landing. What's the best way to go?"  
  
Then there was another short pause, and Jenny heard the woman repeating the directions. "So, I take highway 40 west to Hampton Avenue, and follow the signs in Forest Park. Right. See you then."  
  
As she heard the phone's receiver click back into its cradle, Jenny hurriedly slid back under the covers and closed her eyes before the woman came back into the bedroom.  
  
'Ten o'clock...Muny...Forest Park...highway 40 west to Hampton Avenue...' Jenny kept repeating to herself silently. She had no idea what the Muny was, and she didn't know where else this Ms. Holden might take her, but she had to find a way to tell someone what she'd heard.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	5. Jenny Makes A Plan

An Anniversary to Remember  
  
by matahari2  
  
Summary: Just in time for the Stetsons' 15th wedding anniversary, a family member is in danger.  
  
Timeframe: February, 2002  
  
Disclaimer/ Notes: See Chapter 1  
  
  
  
Chapter Five – Jenny Makes a Plan  
  
February 13, 2002  
  
At 5:45 a.m., Jenny Stetson lay awake in the hard hotel bed. She'd finally figured out a way to transmit a message to her parents. If only Ms. Holden would get up and go into the bathroom or something. 'For goodness sake', Jenny thought, 'even people like her have to use the bathroom sometime, don't they?'  
  
Rita Holden rolled over and punched the button to turn off the alarm clock's buzzer. She scowled at the offending instrument and fumbled with the zipper to one of the suitcases, and fished out a bag containing the toiletries and a bottle of aspirin that she'd bought at the drugstore in the mall. She took them and a set of clean clothes into the bathroom. She walked right past Jenny's bed, apparently assuming that the girl was still sleeping.  
  
Jenny waited until after she heard the bathroom door close, and what sounded like the shower water running, before she started to execute her plan. She didn't know exactly where her parents were, but she was almost positive they would have come to St. Louis already, and they might even be in this hotel. Her plan depended on it.  
  
She carefully padded out to the living room, and found the one telephone that hadn't been disconnected. With her wrists tied together, it was a little tricky, but she picked up the receiver and put it up to her ear, then wedged the receiver between her ear and her left shoulder, while she dialed her Mom's pager number once more. This time, when prompted to either leave a voice message or punch in a phone number, she'd just punched in the numbers 8-0-5. Okay, that was plan A, part 1.  
  
For part 2, she needed paper and pen, which just about all hotels provided for their guests somewhere in the room. There was a small writing desk right there in the living room. Jenny hooked a finger into the drawer pull, and opened it far enough to see a notepad, stationery and envelopes, as well as 2 pens, all with the hotel's name and phone number printed on them. She reached in with both hands and took out a sheet of the paper, an envelope and one of the pens. On the stationery, she wrote:  
  
'Mom & Dad: leaving here – 10:00 a.m. – Muny, lower entrance - Forest Park - highway 40 west to Hampton Avenue - JS'.  
  
Then she folded the paper and stuffed it into the envelope. She sealed the envelope and wrote on the outside of it: 'for Mr. & Mrs. Lee Stetson'. She stuffed the small envelope and the pen back into the desk drawer and hurried back to bed as quietly as possible, just as she heard the water shut off.  
  
Rita towel-dried her hair and dressed in the slacks and sweater she'd pulled out of the suitcase. Then she called to Jenny, "All right, Ms. Stetson, time to rise and shine! We've got places to go and people to see. You go ahead and start getting cleaned up, and I'll bring you some fresh clothes to wear."  
  
Jenny looked at her own tied hands and feet, and looked up at Rita, as if to say, 'how am I going to do that, tied up like this?'  
  
"Oh, yeah...right, I guess it will be necessary at that," Rita said, untying Jenny's hands and feet.  
  
********  
  
At 6:15 a.m, Lee stepped into the shower, unaware of the slight green glow and nearly silent vibrations emanating from Amanda's pager that lay hidden between a couple of hand towels on the vanity's countertop.  
  
At the same time, Amanda was on the telephone in the bedroom, checking in with Francine Desmond-Stone. Amanda's former thorn-in-the-side, now good friend, was the head of the re-vamped Q Bureau, which now consisted of ten field agents and a research staff of twenty, all working on the Agency's most puzzling cases. She was also Lee's deputy, whenever he was out of the office.  
  
"I'm sorry, Amanda, I don't have much to report, except that there were two people going by the name of Holden on American flight 595 on Thursday" Francine said. "The names they had given were Marian, the alleged mother, and Kimberly, the daughter."  
  
"Don't feel bad, Francine," Amanda replied. "I mean, we're here in St. Louis, probably in the same hotel with them, but we don't have any information yet. We're going to try talking to one of the day-shift desk clerks this morning to see if she remembers the 'Holdens' checking in. If we get any leads, we'll probably be out of the hotel room most of the day, but you can call either Lee's cell phone or my pager number if you need to contact us."  
  
Amanda was just hanging up the phone when Lee came back into the bedroom. "Any news?" He asked hopefully.  
  
"Afraid not," Amanda answered. "All they know is that the airline tickets for their flight were purchased in the names of Marian and Kimberly Holden. Francine promised she'd contact us as soon as she knew anything more."  
  
"Okay, then," Lee said, "Let me finish getting ready, and we'll go down to the lobby and talk to that desk clerk."  
  
********  
  
Rita called Room Service and ordered coffee, milk, and two sweet rolls for herself and Jenny. Just then, Jenny came out of the bathroom, dressed in her new red sweater and black jeans. "Ma'am? Is it all right if I watch television for a little while?"  
  
"Yeah, but just until breakfast gets here," Rita replied. "We have to be down in the lobby by 8:00. Wait a minute. We need to fix your hair again. Come here, and bring me that wig!"  
  
Jenny did as she was told. She hoped that somehow, her parents would find her note and follow them to the park. She'd just have to be a 'good girl' for Ms. Holden until then.  
  
********  
  
When Lee and Amanda entered the lobby, he looked at his watch and groaned. "Damn it! We're early. The girl we need to talk to won't be here for another twenty minutes. I hate this."  
  
Amanda touched his arm gently and offered a small smile, saying, "I know, Lee. I do too, but there's nothing we can do about it. Lee? There was a card in the room, on the little writing desk, that said they have a breakfast buffet every morning, in their atrium restaurant," Amanda pointed out.  
  
"All right, we might as well go on in" Lee said, placing his hand at the small of her back, and guiding her into the restaurant. "We can't talk to that desk clerk for another twenty minutes anyway."  
  
After breakfast, Amanda asked, "Lee? You have your cell phone with you, right? Because I told Francine she should either call your cell phone or my pager to let us know any news from DC." She felt for her pager, and couldn't find it on her waistband where she usually kept it. "Lee! My pager! Darn it! I must have left it in the room. Look, you go ahead and talk with the desk clerk, and I'll go back up to the room to pick up the pager," Amanda said in a panic, kissing Lee on the cheek and hurrying out of the restaurant.  
  
"Yeah," Lee answered the empty table.  
  
As he watched Amanda disappear into the elevator, Lee walked back toward the registration desk. "Pardon me," he said to the first young woman he saw, "is Jane Watkins on duty now?"  
  
"Yes, Sir. I'm Jane Watkins."  
  
Lee was careful to identify himself as a federal agent and flash his Agency id badge, before stating, "Ms. Watkins, this is about a federal kidnapping case. We'd really appreciate your help. Do you remember a woman and a young girl checking in yesterday afternoon, sometime between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m.?"  
  
"Yes. That was about 3:15 p.m., sir," Jane answered, after looking at the registration card.  
  
"Did the woman register as Marian Holden, by chance?" Lee asked.  
  
"No sir, the name she gave me was Holder, Rita Holder," Jane responded.  
  
"Can you tell me what you remember about the two of them?" Lee inquired further.  
  
"Well, sir, the woman looked to be about 5'9" tall, with short, dark hair. I'd guess she would be in her late forties or early fifties. The girl was maybe 12 or 13, and it looked to me like her auburn hair was really a wig," Jane volunteered.  
  
Lee asked, "How could you tell, about the wig, that is?"  
  
"It looked a little big for her head, sir. I could see the edges, and there were shadows. I didn't want to say anything about it, though. I guess I thought at the time that she might be a cancer patient or something, you know?"  
  
"Excuse me? Cancer patient?" Lee asked, her meaning escaping him for the moment.  
  
"Oh. Well, sir, sometimes the downtown hotels get parents and siblings staying here, families of children who have catastrophic illnesses, who are being treated at Children's Hospital, but normally they would stay someplace closer to the hospital, in the Central West End," Jane explained. "Well, that's probably more than you wanted to know. Sorry, sir."  
  
"That's quite all right," Lee said. "Is there anything else you can tell me about these 'Holders'?"  
  
"No sir," Jane stated, "but I suppose you'll want to know their room number. It's # 805, sir."  
  
"Thank you very much, Ms. Watkins," Lee said, handing her his card. "We appreciate your help."  
  
Lee turned and walked toward the elevators. Amanda was just stepping out as he pushed the 'up' button.  
  
"Lee! I got another message from Jenny!" Amanda shouted, then remembered she probably shouldn't be shouting in a hotel lobby. In a quieter tone, she continued, "But Lee, all it says is 8-0-5. What can that mean?"  
  
"That's their room number, Amanda, " Lee replied, turning her around and leading her back into the elevator. "What do you say we go check it out?"  
  
"Sounds like a plan," Amanda said, nervously, as the elevator doors closed and they started their ascent.  
  
********  
  
Just as Lee and Amanda were going up in one elevator, Rita and Jennifer were going down in the other. Rita took care of checking them out of the hotel. This time, Jane Watkins was busy with another guest, and Sally Parker took their room key and gave her the receipt. Rita and Jenny rolled the suitcases outside and took the first available taxi to Low Rent Cars on 11th Street.  
  
********  
  
Lee Stetson knocked on the door of suite # 805. When there was no response, he raised his eyebrows, signaled Amanda with a sideways glance, and reached into his inside coat pocket. Amanda stood watch as Lee carefully picked the lock, and the two of them entered the suite as quietly as they could. Lee went to check the bedroom while Amanda stayed and scanned the living room. It didn't take long before Amanda found the envelope. "Lee!" she cried out, in a stage whisper.  
  
"What is it?" he asked softly.  
  
"An envelope, for Mr. & Mrs. Stetson," Amanda answered, as she tore the flap open. "Okay, it says:  
  
'Mom & Dad: leaving here – 10:00 a.m. – Muny, lower entrance - Forest Park - highway 40 west to Hampton Avenue - JS'. "  
  
Lee looked over her shoulder and commented, "Let's see. . .she's telling us that they're leaving, well, that's obvious," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Maybe they're supposed to meet someone at 10:00 this morning, at the lower entrance to the Muny, whatever that is. I guess it must be located in Forest Park. And look, here. . .", he said, pointing at the last part of the note, "she's given us the basic directions to get there. That's our girl!"  
  
"Yeah, you were right about our 'ace in the hole'," Amanda said with a little smile. "Lee! I remember something about the Muny. It's a huge outdoor theater" she said, spreading her hands in front of her, "it seats something like 12,000 people. I think it's only open in the summer time. At least that's what my friend Katie Callahan told me."  
  
  
  
"So...if it's the off-season, then Rita and whoever she's meeting there expect the Muny to be pretty much deserted, right?"  
  
"Yeah, that would make sense," Amanda nodded. "So what do we do now?"  
  
Lee stated plainly, "First we phone this in to Francine, and have her make sure the FBI or the local police put a seal on this room, before anyone else can check in to suite #805. Then we take a little drive down highway 40. We need to be in place, and out of sight, by 9:30, well before they get there."  
  
"Piece of cake, Lee," Amanda said somewhat sarcastically. "It's 8:15, and outside of knowing to take highway 40 to the Hampton exit, we have no idea where the Muny is! No problem!"  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	6. A Day in the Park

An Anniversary to Remember  
  
by matahari2  
  
Summary: Just in time for the Stetsons' 15th wedding anniversary, a family member is in danger.  
  
Timeframe: February, 2002  
  
Disclaimer/Notes: See Chapter 1  
  
  
  
Chapter Six – A Day in the Park  
  
February 13, 2002  
  
After checking in with the Agency, Lee and Amanda took Jenny's note and exited the suite. When they came out of the elevator down on the main floor, Amanda noticed a display rack filled with several stacks of tourist brochures, for attractions all over the city and surrounding areas. Those that caught her eye were for the Muny and several other attractions in Forest Park.  
  
"Amanda, come on! What are you doing?" Lee groused, irritated that Amanda was wasting time picking up tourist brochures.  
  
"Just picking up some brochures..." she started, pausing to shoot him a warning glance, "for places in Forest Park, Lee," she said through clenched teeth, with a slight edge to her voice, and a little too strong an emphasis on his name. Then she realized what was happening between the two of them, and tried her best to ease the tension that was building. In a much softer tone, she said, "Oh, Lee, I'm sorry...about what I said upstairs, and, just now. There was no need for me to snap at you like that. I guess being so worried about Jenny has me more upset that I try to let on."  
  
"It's all right...I understand," Lee said in a quiet voice. "I feel the same way, believe me. And I know I do tend to rush into action, trying to find the answer to a problem, shutting off my personal side. I guess it's a 'control' thing, you know?"  
  
Lee held out his hand to Amanda, and they walked on out to their rental car. After they turned onto highway 40, Lee brought up the subject of the brochures again. "Anyway, why those particular brochures?" he asked.  
  
"Well, I thought maybe they'd have either whole maps of the park in them, or at least the parts of the park where each place is," Amanda tried to explain. "The one for the Muny has a kind of diagram of how to get there, to their upper and lower parking lots, and directions to the Art Museum and the Zoo from there."  
  
"Okay then," Lee said. "Maybe they can help us at that. All right, Amanda, you just tell me where to turn."  
  
The brochure's diagram had been fairly accurate, and Lee followed the large, carved wood signs that marked their way once they entered the park. Lee pulled into the Muny's upper parking lot, close to a thick stand of trees. The two of them walked down the hill slowly and stealthily past the tree-lined colonnades that flanked the large outdoor theater, until they decided on a hiding place that would allow them to see the front entrance of the Muny and still not be observed.  
  
********  
  
Jenny watched carefully as her captor drove the rental car and followed the wooden signs through the park. She saw an arrow pointing left to the Zoo, another pointing right to the Jewel Box and the Muny. After they'd driven down a steep hill, Jenny noticed a pond with a large gazebo in the middle. The car she was riding in circled the pond, and came to a stop just around the corner from what looked like the box office for a theater, flanked on either side by colonnades. 'Uh-oh,' she thought. 'This must be the place.'  
  
After Rita slammed the gearshift into 'Park', Jenny shuddered as she saw the woman open her bag and pull out another two lengths of rope, along with a roll of silver duct tape. She winced in pain as the rope cut into her wrist when Rita pulled it tight. 'Okay, this is really gettin' scary now,' Jenny thought, as the woman covered her mouth with a piece of duct tape and dragged her across the front seat, pulling her out on the driver's side of the car. As she scanned as much of the park as she could see without drawing too much attention to herself, Jenny wondered, 'Mom! Dad! Where are you? I need you, now!', She still hadn't seen them when she felt the woman shoving her into the back seat of the car.  
  
"Ow!" Jenny tried to shout through the tape.  
  
"Quiet!" Rita growled, as she tied the second piece of rope around Jenny's feet.  
  
'Why did she have to cover me up with a blanket?' Jenny thought, as she felt the car dip slightly, from the front, she was pretty sure, as the woman leaned up against it. When Jenny heard the woman talking to someone, 'Charlie Logan?', she heard her say the man's name. 'All right,' she lectured herself mentally, ' time to get to work. It sure is a good thing I pointed my toes in when she tied my feet...they're not tied near as tightly as my hands.' Jenny shook off the blanket and pulled her knees up so she could dig her heels in and push herself into a sitting position against the corner of the back seat. She could see the man and woman were still talking. Then she went to work on the knot.  
  
********  
  
Ten minutes after they had seen a car circle the pond and turn right at the corner just past the Muny entrance, Lee noticed a man emerging from the bushes beside one of the parking lots across the street from the theater entrance, carrying what looked like a brown paper grocery bag. The man looked at least twice in every direction before crossing the street to meet a woman at the corner. 'Rita Holden,' Lee realized.  
  
Lee and Amanda watched the brief verbal exchange between the woman and her contact, and observed Rita looking into the brown bag, and nodding to her counterpart, as if acknowledging that the 'product', whatever it was, was acceptable. She handed the man a thick, letter-sized envelope, which Lee assumed was cash, and received the brown bag in exchange. When Rita turned to go back to the car, Amanda almost shouted, "Lee! What if that's a gun? She's got our Jenny! We've got to get over there!"  
  
"I know, Amanda," he said quietly, taking her hand in his. He could tell she was frightened...that hollow look in her eyes told him clearly enough. "Let's just wait another second, until she rounds the corner, then let's run for it...okay, let's go!"  
  
They took off running across the entire width of the large outdoor theater's front gates. Lee hoped they'd get to Jenny before any harm would come to her.  
  
Jenny had just worked the knot loose when she glanced up and saw the man turning to leave.'Uh-oh!' she thought, quickly grabbing at the blanket on the floor and kicking it back into place with her feet. She heard the car door open and something that sounded like a paper bag being opened. Then she heard several soft clicks and one louder one, before she heard the door slam shut. She could barely hear footsteps, but they were getting louder. Now they sounded hard, like people running on concrete. 'Mom and Dad?' she hoped. At the same time, she wished she could warn them. What if those sounds she'd heard before were the sounds of a gun being loaded? Before she had time to act on that thought, Jenny felt herself being dragged out of the back seat to a standing position outside the car. Rita had just wrapped her left arm around Jenny's neck and pointed the revolver at her head, when Lee and Amanda rounded the corner.  
  
"NO!!!" Amanda screamed.  
  
"Rita! You can't do this!" Lee shouted. "Why?" he asked, in agony over their daughter's plight.  
  
"Oh, yes I can, Mr. ...and Mrs. ...Stetson!" Rita snarled at the pair. "You took away the last 15 years of my life. So don't tell me what I can't do!"  
  
Rita was backing up the hill, dragging Jenny with her, when she stepped into a low spot and fell backwards, losing her grip on Jenny, and briefly losing control of the gun. Lee took the chance to draw the weapon from his ankle-holster and call out, "Run, Jenny! Get out of there!"  
  
Jenny rolled away from the fallen woman and scurried to the far side of the car, out of the line of fire. She could hear the woman scrambling to her feet and starting to run. Jenny heard a loud 'crack!', followed by another, and harder, faster footsteps. 'Get her, Dad!' she thought. 'I know you can do it. . .just please. . .don't let her shoot you first!'  
  
Jenny crouched on the pavement, her arms wrapped around her knees, rocking herself, keeping her eyes shut tight, as though by doing so she could make herself believe none of this was really happening. Suddenly, she felt the car give as though someone was leaning against it. She jerked her head to the left and looked up in surprise, as she saw her mother creeping toward her around the back of the car. "Mom!" she tried to shout through the tape that still covered her mouth.  
  
"Jenny!" Amanda whispered, as she kneeled down and closed her arms around her daughter for a quick hug, before starting to untie the rope that bound her hands. She looked up into her eyes and asked, "Are you all right?"  
  
Jenny nodded, doing her best to smile with her eyes as she watched her mother carefully removing the rope and examining her reddened wrists. "Mmm!" Jenny said, pointing up to her mouth.  
  
"Oo. . .yes, I see," Amanda said, knitting her brows and wincing. "All right now, just hold your mouth real still and close your eyes. . .there!"  
  
Jenny felt a quick sting as her mother ripped the tape from her face. "Mom! I'm so glad you're here!" she shouted, reaching out to embrace her.  
  
"Me too, Sweetheart," Amanda answered, as she patted Jenny's shoulder and leaned back on her heels. As she stood, she told Jenny, "Now, keep your head down, while I try to see what's happening."  
  
Amanda eyes widened in concern, as she watched Lee gaining ground on the running woman, who appeared to be firing aimlessly. At last, she heard the dull clicking sound that told her that Rita Holden had run out of ammunition. She had just turned back to Jenny when she heard the loud screech of tires, a motorist trying to avoid hitting an unexpected pedestrian.  
  
"Lee!!" Amanda screamed, spinning around and looking back up the hill. She let out a sigh of relief, seeing that Lee was all right. He had been able to stop at the curb. Rita Holden hadn't been so lucky.  
  
Amanda went back to help Jenny stand up, and the two of them walked up the long hill. She heard Lee talking to the driver of the Treetop Nursery delivery van, assuring the man that he was not responsible for the accident, and that there was no way he could have seen the woman before it was too late. Amanda did her best to shield Jenny from the scene before them, taking her hand and walking her around behind the van, toward their rental car.  
  
Lee kneeled beside Rita's still form and checked for a pulse. He nodded to Amanda that the woman was still alive, then pulled out his cell phone and dialed 9-1-1 for emergency assistance. Next, he called Francine back at the Agency, and asked her to follow up with the Federal and local authorities.  
  
After dealing with the local police and bidding farewell to the hapless van driver, Lee ran across the street and pulled both of his girls in for a bear hug, kissing Jenny on the cheek. "It's sure great to have you back with us, Jenny! You really had us worried."  
  
"Glad to be back, Daddy! I love you!" Jenny said, cheerfully.  
  
"Are you sure you're all right?" he asked, holding her at arm's length to take a better look at her.  
  
"Yeah, Dad, I'm great," Jenny said, smiling brightly. "She didn't hurt me, y'know. I was scared, but I knew I could trust you guys to find me!"  
  
Father and daughter shared one more hug, and Lee said, "Okay, I guess we'd better head back downtown and check out of the hotel, right?"  
  
"Right," Amanda answered, as Lee turned the key in the ignition and pulled out of the parking lot. "And then we'd better see how soon we can get a flight out of here." She looked down at her watch and exclaimed, "Oh my gosh, Lee! Do you know what time it is?" Her jaw dropped open as she turned to him in a panic, asking, "Do you know what day it is?"  
  
Lee's face paled as he turned toward Amanda and shouted, "Oh my God...our anniversary! Here...take my cell phone and call the airline!"  
  
At that, Jenny was overcome by the uncontrollable urge to giggle.  
  
"What's so funny?" Lee asked Jenny's reflection in the rearview mirror.  
  
"Oh nothing, Dad. I'm just picturing Grandma's face when we get to the church about ten minutes before the ceremony, that's all."  
  
"Oh boy!" Amanda said, rolling her eyes.  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	7. Celebrations (TAG)

An Anniversary to Remember  
  
by matahari2  
  
Summary: Just in time for the Stetsons' 15th wedding anniversary, a family member is in danger.  
  
Timeframe: February, 2002  
  
Disclaimer/Notes: See Chapter 1  
  
  
  
Chapter 7 – Celebrations  
  
February 13, 2002 - 6:30 p.m. - Stetson Residence  
  
"Lee! Could you help me with this zipper?" Amanda asked as she stepped into black high heel shoes after pulling the royal blue silk gown over her head.  
  
"I'll make you a deal," Lee replied, with a wink and a grin, as he made quick work of helping her with the zipper, caressed her bare shoulders, and started kissing her neck.  
  
"There's time enough for that later, Stetson!" Amanda answered, chuckling in spite of herself.  
  
He shook his head slightly, his smile broadening, and turned her around to face him, saying, "You look beautiful."  
  
"You look handsome," she replied, smiling sweetly.  
  
Their tender moment was interrupted by Jenny's shout from downstairs. "Mom! Dad! Come on! Everybody's gonna give up on us and just go home!"  
  
Amanda quirked an eyebrow in Lee's direction and grinned. "Sound familiar?" she asked jokingly, as they hurried downstairs to rush to the ceremony.  
  
********  
  
Dotty wrung her hands as she paced the foyer of the small Middleburg Chapel. "Where are they? I thought they said they were leaving at 2:30 and their flight would be here in two hours. It's been four hours now, and still they're not here! What's happened now?"  
  
Phillip caught her arm to stop her pacing. "Grandma, please. There's no need to panic just yet. Granted it's a two-hour flight, but they lost an hour when they changed time zones on the way back."  
  
"Right," Jamie said, hoping to help their grandmother calm down. "They wouldn't have arrived at Dulles until 5:30 our time, and it's another 40 minutes from there to the house. They'll be here. Don't worry, okay?"  
  
"You're right, of course," Dotty answered, as she slid her arms around both of the young men's waists. "I love you both," she said, pulling them closer.  
  
"Me, too!" Jenny sang out as she burst in through the front door of the chapel and was immediately swallowed up in hugs from Phillip and Jamie.  
  
"Jennifer Stetson! I'm gonna have to have a little talk with you about keeping your appointments," Dotty lectured, pointing an accusing finger at Jenny and barely keeping her smile hidden. "You're getting to be as bad as your parents," she continued, pulling Jenny into her arms.  
  
"Hello, Mother. I hope you haven't had to wait too long," Amanda said apologetically.  
  
"Oh, no, Darling. I'm just glad you're all here," Dotty replied, smiling at Amanda and Lee in turn.  
  
"All right then, shall we?" Lee asked, offering Amanda his arm.  
  
********  
  
Lee Stetson smiled inwardly, thankful to Amanda for the lifetime they'd shared since their chance meeting at the train station so long ago. He gazed into her sparkling brown eyes, wondering at his good fortune. This 'simple housewife' had turned his life around. His musings were interrupted only when Phillip gently nudged his arm, letting him know that Reverend Mills was trying to get his attention.  
  
"to have and to hold from this day forward...for better or worse...for richer or poorer...in sickness and in health...to love and to cherish...for all the days of our lives." As she listened to her husband's heartfelt promises, Amanda smiled into his loving eyes, recalling how those promises had been tested, and still remained true.  
  
After the ceremony, as the invited guests greeted the happy couple, Dotty, Kurt and the Stetson-King children hurried off to set out the food and decorations for the reception at the Middleburg farmhouse. They had just hung out a huge banner that shouted, "Congratulations, Mom and Dad!" when Lee and Amanda pulled into the driveway. "Would you look at that!" Amanda exclaimed, her eyes twinkling as they climbed the front steps to join in the celebration.  
  
Francine Desmond-Stone was telling Jenny, Phillip and Jamie a story about their parents' so-called secret romance. "I don't know who they thought they were fooling," she began. "There was one time when I was filing something up in their office, and..."  
  
"Now, Francine, you know that one's classified!" Lee teased, as he hugged his old friend.  
  
After most of the guests had departed, Lee and Amanda found themselves standing beside each other in a quiet corner of the living room, and Amanda whispered in Lee's ear, "Fifteen years...can you believe it, Sweetheart?"  
  
"Yes and no, Amanda," he answered. "In a way, it seems like we've always been married, then again, sometimes it seems like just yesterday. But you know what? I think you've succeeded."  
  
"Succeeded at what?" she asked, turning to look up into his handsome face.  
  
"Making me a 'normal' person!" he replied, with his trademark dimpled grin.  
  
"Oh I seriously hope not, Scarecrow!" Amanda teased playfully.  
  
Two hours later, after saying their thank-you's and goodbyes and having one last family group-hug, Lee and Amanda could finally enjoy their own private celebration.  
  
********  
  
Fox and Hounds Inn, 11:00 p.m.  
  
In a husky voice, Lee uttered, "Oh...Amanda! Mmm..."  
  
"Mmm...Lee! Yes...yes...yes!!!"  
  
  
  
*** All right. Get your mind out of the g- ...okay...you're right, it's *exactly* what you're thinking! ***  
  
  
  
THE END  
  
********  
  
P.S. Why Middleburg, Virginia, you ask? Because people really do keep horses there! 


End file.
